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Astros bats looking to shake off Bronx blues

Josh Reddick of the Houston Astros reacts after striking out to end the top of the fifth inning against Masahiro Tanaka of the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 18, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)

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HOUSTON — The Astros didn’t score a major-league leading 896 regular-season runs by not knowing the difference between being productive and panicked in the batters’ box.

So, how could all the firepower essentially disappear in one disastrous three-day road trip to the Bronx to face the Yankees?

“From what I’ve seen, it’s just like we’re trying to do way too much in the box,” a clearly frustrated Astros outfielder Josh Reddick said. “Everybody is trying to be the one guy who can put the team on their back with one swing.”

The harder they swing, the harder they fall, apparently.

After dropping all three games at Yankee Stadium to implode the 2-0 lead they had held in the best-of-seven ALCS, the Astros have the stone-cold bats as forensic evidence. In five games, the Astros have scored just nine runs and rapped out a meagre 22 hits with a team batting average of .147.

So, can the move back to Minute Maid Park for Friday’s first elimination game of the series be enough to recapture the magic?

“It’s hard,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said on Thursday. “These guys care so much. We’ve put a lot of energy and effort into this year and you feel like it’s right here for you to take it. And when the guy in front of you is struggling, you want to be the guy. If you struggle, the guy behind you wants to help.

“It’s the toughest three-game stretch we’ve had. But it’s a three-game stretch that can end on Friday. We’ve got an incredible offence and we’ve got an incredible opportunity. We feel good about it.”

They were feeling considerably less so on Wednesday night, perhaps blessed with the opportunity of a day off to regroup. Amidst the gloom from the Game 5 shutout loss: The Astros were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and MVP candidate Jose Altuve was 0-for-3 at the plate to go 0-for-10 at Yankee Stadium.

“Swing less would help,” Hinch said when asked what his hitters can do to snap out of this. “You’ve got to get good pitches to hit and swing at those pitches. But if it was that simple, we would have corrected it right about the third inning of Game 3.

“If you’re carrying that baggage into the batter’s box, do you think we’re going to hit better? It is time more to go the other way, maybe lighten the mood a little bit and see where it takes us.”

JUSTIN TIME

Of course the other viable way the Astros can force the drama of a Game 7 here on Saturday would be to get another stellar performance from starter Justin Verlander.

The veteran right-hander was aces in his 13-strikeout, complete-game effort in Game 2 and understands that the Friday night lights that will be on him tomorrow are precisely why the Astros went after him at the trade deadline.

“Obviously, I know this is one of the main reasons I was brought here,” Verlander said. “The expectations are there. My teammates, I’m sure are expecting of me and I expect a lot of myself. I love these opportunities.”

If Game 5 was any indication, the Yankees hitters may be better equipped to handle Verlander this time around. After being shut down by Dallas Keuchel in Game 1, they chased him after 4.2 innings on Wednesday night, clearly more familiar with what was coming at them, no matter how good it was.

“I can draw from my success in past situations, but it means nothing for (Friday),” Verlander said.

“Each start is a new start. I think that’s why we as athletes get nervous and anxious. It’s the fear of the unknown.”

SLUMP-BUSTERS

The Astros reaction is notable in that it is in stark contrast to the way the Yankees handled icy at-bats from their biggest producers. While there was concern, there was never panic. While there were adjustments, there was never the pressure to fix it all in one swing

“I think eventually they’re going to hit,” New York manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday. “I look at a number of other players that have been through playoffs and they’ve had they’re struggles and all of a sudden they can get hot.”

The big Yankees hitters are proof that patience trumps panic.

In Games 1 and 2, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez were a combined 1-for-13 with a whopping eight strikeouts.

In the three wins in the Bronx they were 7-for-20 with three home runs and 11 RBIs.

“Everything is magnified when you’re in the playoffs and two games seem like forever,” Girardi said. “If you struggle two games in the season, people don’t say much. But you’re on the big stage and people expect to you to perform every day.”

QUICK HITS

The Yankees will counter with Luis Severino, who allowed just one run in four innings in Game 2 before Girardi removed his starter because he feared his shoulder was bothering him. Severino has since been cleared and hopes to build on a big outing that ended abruptly … The Astros may need to win two in a row to advance to the World Series, but history suggests it’s far from a long shot. In LCS history, teams trailing 3-2 and have Games 6 and 7 at their owns park have advanced 13 of 27 times … Like the Yankees, the Astros are unbeaten at home these playoffs.